Abdelhalim Abdelrahman is a Palestinian political analyst and a policy fellow alum from the John Quincy Adams Society in Washington D.C. His work has been featured in Foreign Policy Magazine, The American Conservative, The New Arab, The International Policy Journal, and DAWN. Follow Abdelhalim on X
Israel finally ignited its long-desired war with Iran, reportedly killing hundreds of people, including 20 children, while wounding over 300 in just four days. The fighting is in stark contrast to last week, when both the United States and Iran seemed optimistic about reaching an agreement. Ali Shamkhani—a senior Iranian official in charge of nuclear talks with the U.S.—even suggested that Tehran was very interested in a deal: "If the Americans act as they say, for sure we can have better relations."
Shamkhani succumbed to his wounds from an Israeli strike over the weekend. Some would argue that any chance of a U.S.-Iran deal died with those strikes.
Possibly understanding the risks to both U.S. foreign policy objectives and the safety of its citizens in the region, United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio scrambled to distance Washington from the attack, calling Israel's actions "unilateral." However, there is nothing unilateral about Israel's latest military strike. Nor is U.S. involvement in the Israel-Iran war ambiguous, as it continues to supply Israel with weapons and diplomatic support while actively shooting down Iranian missiles targeting the country.
Indeed, Washington owns a significant responsibility for enabling Israel's unprovoked and preventive—meaning illegal—attack on Iran.
The Israeli government feels a great sense of impunity knowing that the United States has appeased their actions and demands at every turn for decades. From Israel's genocidal bombing of Gaza to its brutal occupation of the West Bank, Gaza, Syria and Lebanon, Washington actively subverts its laws and its narrow regional national interests to support Israel in their hawkish endeavors. Iran is simply the latest victim of this long-running diplomatic malpractice.
Had Trump been serious about adopting the anti-war pledges he campaigned on—which played a major role in winning him a second presidential term—he would have withheld military support from Israel for its horrendous bombing of Gaza and threatened other diplomatic measures had Israel struck Iran. He would have advised restraint, publicly demanding that no party in Israel or Iran drive a push towards a war many have argued for decades would produce widespread suffering and destruction.
While Trump publicly urged Israel not to target Iran, Netanyahu called his supposed bluff, understanding no serious consequences backed Trump's requests. As he has with other U.S. presidents, Netanyahu played Trump like a fiddle to get his desired policy outcome. He managed to lure Trump from diplomacy, planting the seeds of war within his administration—likely with the support of some within it. As a result, America seems poised to defend Israel while draining precious resources on a conflict that is not in its interest, threatens U.S. citizens in the Middle East and poses no threat to the U.S. homeland.
Washington owns a significant responsibility for enabling Israel's unprovoked and preventive—meaning illegal—attack on Iran.
- Abdelhalim Abdelrahman
Washington now finds itself stuck in the same endless loop, with Israel dictating the terms of U.S. policy. The world's strongest power has been reduced to a mere afterthought by a nation whose survival is contingent upon America's unfettered military and diplomatic assistance.
The world will continue to wake up to scores of daily tweets from pro-Israel figures justifying Israel's brutal attack under the guise of "American interest and values." Bombing Iran undermines not only America's interests but the well-being of Americans worldwide.
The odds are high that Iran will eventually shift its attention to U.S. military bases in the Middle East, especially as Tehran views American and Israeli pressure against it as one and the same. The odds are equally high that Washington will gleefully run to Israel's defense, especially given strong pro-Israel lobbying for just that today.
Innocent civilians will perish, yet the U.S. government will continue to subsidize Israel's military. Nor will it impose any restrictions on Israel's operations in Iran, fearing political retribution while showing its true ideological leanings in favor of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's war-mongering and expansionist policies.
Thus, the Israel-Iran war marks a repeat of the same song and dance that has won the United States an everlasting sea of conflict from which it is simultaneously unable and unwilling to retreat. Indeed, perhaps the most significant aspect of today's reality is an eerie feeling of déjà vu, resembling the speedy run-up to the invasion of Iraq. The elements are too familiar.
Just as the illegal invasion of Iraq was based on the false notion of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein having weapons of mass destruction, America is allowing Israel and Netanyahu to drag it into a war with Iran based on exaggerated assertions regarding Iran's nuclear program. And just Like Iraq, Netanyahu is playing the same card with Iran in the hope that America will join them in their destructive campaign to demilitarize the Islamic Republic and engage in dangerous regime change politics.
Time will tell if Trump resists these temptations or falls into the same trap that has failed previous administrations alike. If he wants to be a peace president, he would be wise to adopt the former.
